Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spamart’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spamart’, characterized by its upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; variegated leaves; freely flowering habit; white-colored spathes that are positioned above and between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SPAMART’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spamart’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have variegated leaves, numerous white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Sparanke’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,294. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Sparanke’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in November, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since December, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spamart’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spamart’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.     -   3. Variegated leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. White-colored spathes that are positioned above and between         the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.     -   6. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the mutation parent, ‘Sparanke’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have variegated leaves         whereas plants of ‘Sparanke’ have solid dark green-colored         leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more freely flowering         than plants of ‘Sparanke’.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have shorter scapes than         plants of ‘Sparanke’.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum spp. ‘Sparego’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,457. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differed from plants of ‘Sparego’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum were more freely clumping         than plants of ‘Sparego’.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had variegated leaves whereas         plants of ‘Sparego’ had solid dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum had smaller spathes than         plants of ‘Sparego’.     -   4. Spathes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum were whiter in         color than spathes of plants of ‘Sparego’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spamart’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Spamart’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spamart’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 17-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. Plants were grown under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 lux. Plants were 36 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spamart’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Spathiphyllum     Schott. ‘Sparanke’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,294. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About eleven days at temperatures             about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 215 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 240 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching plant             habit; overall plant shape, broadly obovate; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Clumping habit.—Freely clumping habit, bushy and dense             growth habit; about eleven clumps develop per plant.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About             40.5 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 53.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 53.6 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 25.6 cm. Width: About 5.2 cm. Shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Apex: Narrowly apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Moderately glossy. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker             than between 141A and 147A; slightly dotted with close to             198D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between N137A             and 139A; heavily dotted with close to 145D, 150D, 198D and             157B to 156C; venation, darker than N137AA. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B to 137C; heavily dotted             with close to 150D and 157A; venation, close to 144B.             Petiole: Length (excluding geniculum): About 18 cm.             Diameter, just below geniculum: About 4 mm. Diameter, at             plant base: About 8 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster:             Slightly glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143A to 143B. Geniculum length: About 3.5 cm. Geniculum             diameter: About 4 mm. Geniculum texture: Smooth, glabrous             Geniculum luster: Slightly glossy. Geniculum color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 138A. Wing length: About             15.6 cm. Wing diameter: About 8 mm. Wing color: Close to             143C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Cupped erect             spathes with columnar spadices held above and between the             foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; flowering             structures arise from leaf axils; plants begin flowering             about five months after planting; freely and continuous             flowering year-round in The Netherlands; freely flowering             habit, typically about twelve inflorescences develop per             plant.         -   Fragrance.—Strong; sweet and pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 15 cm. Width: About 4.1 cm. Shape:             Ovate to narrowly ovate. Apex: Apiculate; twisting. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery. Luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Glossy. Color: When developing, front             surface: Close to 155A to 155B; at the apex, close to 141B.             When developing, rear surface: Close to 155A; at the apex,             close to 141B; main vein, close to 143B. Fully developed,             front surface: Close to NN155C; at the apex, close to 143B;             main vein slightly tinged with close to 143B; with             development, color becoming closer to 144B. Fully developed,             rear surface: Close to NN155C; main vein and at the apex,             close to 144A.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape:             Columnar, tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base,             obtuse; cross-section, rounded. Aspect: Mostly erect. Color:             Immature: Between 150D and 157A. Mature: Close to 155A.             Flowers: Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 70. Shape:             Rounded. Height: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 155D. Stigma shape: Ovoid. Stigma color:             Close to NN155A. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Scape.—Length: About 35 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 20° from vertical.             Color: Close to 143B; towards the base, close to 145C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Spathiphyllum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to     about 36° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spamart’ as illustrated and described. 